Even after candidly discussing the online multiplayer problems in the current game, this probably isn't the best time for 2K Sports to be closing the servers for last year's version of NBA 2K. Online multiplayer support for NBA 2K11 will disappear by the middle of this month, the label said today.

This affects more than just online ranked matches and other standard multiplayer features. It also means the total sunset of "My Crew," a popular feature introduced last year but too complex to be supported this year. My Crew allowed created players from the "My Player" career mode to team up in full five-on-five games—in other words, 10-person multiplayer basketball. While the director of development for Visual Concepts, the 2K in-house studio that makes NBA 2K has not ruled out the return of My Crew in future versions, it is now definitely gone until further notice.

Jeff Thomas, the Visual Concepts boss, told Kotaku last week that the game rebuilt its online multiplayer codebase for NBA 2K12. Maybe the differing codebases, or the need to free up bandwidth in the current game, is what prodded the move. 2K Sports wasn't saying after we pinged them.

Still, it is a very short time for a sports game, or any game, to have online multiplayer support. EA Sports titles typically go two years before being disconnected. Pasta Padre notes that NBA 2K10 had online multiplayer support for 15 months and NBA 2K9 was supported for 21.

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If you're that fed up with NBA 2K12's online multiplayer, NBA Live 10 is still breathing. The game updated its rosters last year when NBA Elite was canceled, and with the NBA lockout obliterating yesterday's season opening, there have been no changes to rosters in the off-season.